NDSU Soil Science 210

Lectures: The material presented will follow the outline listed below. Two new texts have been selected for 2002 to provide a more fundamental approach and a bit more of a "world view"; they are also much less expensive than previous texts!
However, some supplemental reading materials will be used to underscore or extend key concepts and properties that are stressed in lecture. Students will be responsible for material included in the reading assignments, which are listed in this syllabus. You are encouraged to ask questions in lecture. If something seems confusing to you it is probably baffling others too!

Laboratory: The laboratory has been designed to reinforce concepts learned in lecture and to provide hands-on experience with soils. Topics and pertinent instructions for the laboratory will be introduced in recitation sections at the beginning of each lab session. Formal laboratory reports must be typed. Laboratory worksheets will be completed for certain laboratory exercises and, to reinforce concepts, these will be discussed prior to the next exercise. Three field trips will be held early in the semester (if we can afford the vans!). Please bring appropriate footwear and clothing for any imaginable weather condition. A field notebook will be required and sold (~ 6 $) to students in each laboratory; this will be used as a journal (learning log) and graded. Formal collaborative learning groups will be used in the laboratory to facilitate the selection and development of a term project centered on applications of a soil survey to land use.

Examinations: Students will be tested on material from lecture, reading assignments, lecture handouts, and experience gained in the laboratory. Tests 1-4 will cover specified lecture material. The Final Examination is comprehensive.

Quizzes: A quiz may be given at the end of recitation periods prior to the laboratory exercise. These are intended to encourage the students to keep pace with lecture, reading, and laboratory topics; they are not comprehensive. A short question and answer session will be held prior to each quiz. Quizzes may be given in lecture sessions at the discretion of the instructor.

Grades: Semester grades will be based on total points from quizzes, laboratory evaluations, homework problems and reports, as well as the five examinations. Grading will be on a 90-80-70-60 basis.

Grade Components:
Quizzes 120 points
Laboratory 200 points
Examinations:
Test 1 50 points
Test 2 50 points
Test 3 50 points

Honor Code and Academic dishonesty: All College of Agriculture students are under the Honor System. The Honor System is governed by students and operates on the premise that most students are honest and work best when their honesty and the honesty of others is not in question. It functions to prevent cheating as well as to penalize those who are dishonest. It is the responsibility of the student to report any violations of the honor pledge to the instructor, honor commission, or the Dean of the College of Agriculture. Academic dishonesty will be reported whenever/wherever it is found. Anyone cheating on an exam will receive zero points.

Students with Special Requirements: Any student with any disability or other special need requiring some accommodation in this course should visit with me as soon as possible.

Text: Texts: Soils W. Dubbin, 2001, publ. by the Natural History Museum London; Abbrev.= D
Text: Essential Soil Science, M. R. Ashman and G. Puri, 2002, Blackwell Pub. Abbrev.= AP

Lecture Templates available at the Varsity Mart
Lecture Template photos can be viewed under Adventures in Soils

Date	Lecture	Lecture Topic	Lab	Reading Assignments
8\25	1	Soils as evolutionary bodies	No Lab	D 5-7.3; Suppl. 1
8\27	2	Regolith, rocks, and physical weathering		D 8.9-10.4; AP 1-5.5; Suppl. 2
8/30	3	Soil PM; the big picture	1
9/1	4	Soil PM; local examples & land use	"
9/3	5	Chemical weathering of minerals	"	Lect. 4 (L4) Suppl. 1 & 2
9/6	-	Labor Day Holiday	No Lab	D 10.4-14.6; AP 5.5-7.5;. L5 Suppl.
9/8	6	Texture and structure of mineral soils	"	D 14.7-16.6, 20.7-21.2; AP 26-32.2, Fig. 1.8
9/10	7	Soil development	"	D 25-26; AP 9-14.8, Table 1.2 AP 14.8-25
9/13	8	Soil physical properties: density & porosity	2	D 21-22.5;AP 36.5-37.7; L10 Suppl.
9/15	-	Test 1	"
9/17	9	A physical-biochemical fusion: aggregation	"	D18.8-20.7;AP 38-40.5
9/20	10	Introduction to soil water	3	D 22-24; AP 38-40.5
9/22	11	Quantifying soil water: potential & content	"	AP 40.5-45
9/24	12	Soil water retention and movement	"
9/27	13	Soil aeration and significance	4	AP 114-120.8
9/29	14	Soil colloids: classification & properties	"	D 12-14.6; AP 46-50.6, esp. Fig. 3.1; Suppl.
10/1	15	Silicate clays: structure & charge	"	AP 50.6-54.7, Figs. 2.7, 2.8; Suppl. 7; Suppl.
10/4	16	Synthesis Lecture: Soil orders & land use	5	D Table 3; AP19-24; Suppl. 17
10/6	17	Soil chemistry: cation exchange capacity	"	D 56-60.7; AP 54.7-57.8
10/8	-	Test 2	"
10/11	18	Soil chemistry: pH and the “soil solution”	6	D 58.9-61.3; AP 57.8-59
10/13	19	Soil chemistry: pH and liming	"	D 71.2-71.6; AP 60-61.5, 133.5-136.9, Table 6.7
10/15	20	Saline and sodic soils	"	D 97-98; AP 124.5-129.4

Lab Session Call # Time Recitation Room
Monday 04103 1:00-3:50 p.m. Walster 221
Tuesday 04111 2:00-4:50 p.m. Walster 217
Wednesday 04120 1:00-3:50 p.m. Walster 221